Dwight Howard’s transformation from evil villain of the Lakers fan base to lovable role player on a championship team was a wholly unexpected development in the 2019-20 season. He became such a beloved part of that team that many fans were genuinely upset when he left the following summer in free agency.
In the same vein, his return to the Lakers this summer was welcomed across the board, a stark change from a year prior. After being given more of a prove-it deal in the 2019-20 season, Howard was signed to a guaranteed contract this season, though still a veteran’s minimum.